secure file transfer

Given more and more business is conducted on the web, online security is becoming increasingly important. Online file transfer offers a whole range of security challenges, but is essential for businesses moving high value files.

File Transfer Protocol (FTP) is one of the oldest Internet protocols, and is still widely used  today. Dozens of FTP clients and automation utilities have been developed for desktops, servers, and mobile devices. Hundreds of software programs incorporate FTP.

However, FTP has some pretty severe limitations. One of the biggest problems for businesses is the lack of security. FTP uses no encryption, so files are highly vulnerable if they are intercepted. There are workarounds to this problem. For instance, some companies add encryption by using SSL certificates. That said, this is a complex process and it costs quite a bit of time and money. Additionally, if you run FTP in active mode, problems with firewalls often crop up. And, if you run FTP in passive mode, you need a range of port numbers, with each port a potential security risk.

In fact, FTP has such obvious security problems that an entire new protocol called SSH File Transfer or Secure File Transfer Protocol (SFTP) was developed and has become a popular alternative. SFTP is more secure and reliable than FTP (even FTP with SSL Certificates). Unfortunately, SFTP can be very slow and compatibility issues are common.

New technology and cloud architecture provide exciting opportunities for modern businesses, and innovative Signiant solutions offer the best in secure file transfer.

Media Shuttle is a hybrid SaaS solution that allows media professionals to quickly transfer any size file anywhere in the world. Consolidate and track all your file movement while gaining speed, security and control in one elegant, easy to use, cloud-based solution.

Flight is the only SaaS solution on the market that accelerates the movement of large files and data sets into and out of cloud storage. Automatically maintained and updated for you, Flight is easy to deploy, scales as needed, and works with Amazon S3 and other leading cloud platforms.

Learn more about how companies like TVB Europe and A+E Networks address security issues and guarantee secure file transfer with Signiant software below.

  • Essential security considerations: Get everyone on the same page and work together. Your first step, and best place to start. Educate yourselves, your clients, your coworkers and management on the risks and options. Recognize that every production is different and unique. Access, functionality and security are all important. Success requires all three, not just two. Recognize there is a technical side and a very big social side. Recognize that security protocols cannot hinder productivity. Put teams together that collaborate well. There will be a lot of learning on both sides. When choosing technology, first find a partner with a security-first mindset.
    | Blog

    M&E File Security is a Team Sport

    If security measures become too much of a roadblock for people trying to get a production done, then your offense will find workarounds. Your game plan must find the sweet spot between ease of use and providing the security you require.
  • A very narrow and rickety foot bridge.
    | Blog

    Companies can’t afford to keep trusting FTP

    Almost immediately after the SolarWinds attack, many companies were reminded once again to take a closer look at their own infrastructure and processes. Some reacted by moving security to the top of their priority list and ditching FTP.
  • ""
    | Blog

    Content Supply Chain Security is More Vital and Challenging Than Ever in a Global and Complex Media Landscape

    Not every company has a technology stack that provides consistent content security and high performance. For example, we often see companies, large and small, still relying on FTP, despite its well-known content security and performance issues. When companies finally replace FTP with modern SaaS solutions, they quickly realize they should have taken the step long ago.
  • An orange, full moon seen through bare trees at night.
    | Blog

    Take Content Security Seriously or Risk Finding Yourself in a File Transfer Horror Story

    For media, content is your lifeblood, and—when it comes to file transfer—you need solutions that ensure its security, integrity, and accessibility at all times. Whether it’s failed transfers, jumbled workflows, or data breaches, you don’t need the struggles of inadequate file transfers keeping you up at night.
  • A hurricane making landfall, as seen from space.
    | Blog

    Inside the Media Operations Hurricane

    The modern M&E landscape is a hurricane of collaboration—across internal teams, contractors, partners and distributors. It’s this collaboration that not only defines how most media organizations approach content creation and distribution, but it is also largely what has contributed to the development and success of evolving technologies and artistic visions.
  • A large city at night with 4 spaceships hovering over it and one of them is destroying the buildings below it with a laser.
    | Blog

    FTP Replacement May Be Essential to Securing Content Supply Chains

    Efforts by major media enterprises and content security associations are seeking to replace FTP across the industry’s inherently interconnected global supply chain.
  • ""
    | Blog

    Media Shuttle’s New IMF-Aware Capability Makes it Easy and Secure

    IMF (Interoperable Master Format) was designed to address the chaos and inefficiencies involved in versioning programs. While a powerful standard, IMF isn’t user friendly and needs to be handled with secure file transfer software.
  • A map of the world with dots on many major cities and yellow lines connecting them.
    | Blog

    Moving data across the global content supply chain

    One of our technology partners, Dell EMC, caught up with Signiant CTO Ian Hamilton at NAB and produced this great video about the global media supply chain.
  • A woman underwater facing a great white shark.
    | Blog

    The Significance of DPP’s ‘Committed to Security’ Program

    For media companies, getting security right across their entire content supply chain seems like an impossible task. And it is, for any one company. DPP’s ‘Committed to Security’ Program is building a community of companies like Signiant that have demonstrated best cybersecurity practices.
  • Password Security and Simplicity
    | Blog

    Isn’t it Time to Think of People First and Not Policies and Technology?

    Security and simplicity are often viewed as opposing forces. One widely held belief codified in the IS policies of most organizations is that for a system to be secure, people must use complex passwords that are changed frequently. But this doesn’t have to be “just the way it is”!
  • Security
    | News

    Signiant Receives ‘Committed to Security’ Mark from the Digital Production Partnership

    Signiant has received the ‘Committed to Security’ mark from the Digital Production Partnership (DPP), demonstrating its ongoing commitment to best cybersecurity practices for both production and broadcast environments.
  • A school of brightly colored fish in the ocean.
    | Blog

    App-less Transfers: A new option in Media Shuttle for supporting our customers’ entire ecosystems

    In some highly regulated industries, companies are often operating under locked down corporate IT environments. Signiant’s new app-less transfer option for Media Shuttle allows them to extend the solution’s adoption across their entire media ecosystems when installing software is not an option. System administrators can maintain full control and visibility of every transfer, while all end users enjoy a simple, uniform experience.